


L.F. on the Shelf

by Haywire



Category: Parks and Recreation
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-12-23
Updated: 2015-12-23
Packaged: 2018-05-08 14:50:38
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,282
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5501741
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Haywire/pseuds/Haywire
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Leslie and Ben arrive at work to set up for yet another of Leslie's many unique holidays, only to discover there's a new addition to the workplace.</p>
            </blockquote>





	L.F. on the Shelf

**Author's Note:**

  * For [polishmyarmor](https://archiveofourown.org/users/polishmyarmor/gifts).



“Put those over there with the others, please,” Leslie said, pointing to a decorated tree in the corner while holding open the door to the Parks and Recreation office.

“You know I can’t see anything, right?” replied Ben, as he hesitated in the doorway, his head hidden behind the veritable mountain of presents he was carrying.

“Here, hold on a sec.” She stopped and turned around to face him.

“Finally! You can probably take some of the top ones, they’re lighter, and—” he started.

“There, now you can see!” Leslie re-arranged the smaller boxes on top, leaving a few inches through which Ben’s eyes could barely be seen. “Come on, it’s just up here.”

They entered the office and Ben made a beeline for the Christmas tree in the corner.

“Ho, ho, ho! Hi, everybody!” Leslie announced with a wave.

“Leslie, our Christmas party isn’t until next week, what’s with all the presents?” Jerry asked as he watched Ben struggle to put them all down gracefully.

“Ah ah ah, this isn’t for Christmas, Jerry,” she explained, wagging a finger at him. “It sounds like someone has forgotten all about our annual Secret Ann-ta’s Day party.”

“Are we still doing that?” Tom asked, coming out from his office. “I mean you’re the only one that buys her presents anyway, why do we even bother?”

“Tom, why do I have to explain this every year?” Leslie said with a sigh. “We all celebrate the _spirit_ of Secret Ann-ta’s Day, which is all about the blessing of sweet, angelic Ann entering all of our lives.” She paused before adding, “Specifically, it’s the anniversary of the first time we did Secret Santa in the office and I drew Ann’s name.”

“Which was totally rigged,” April added, spinning around in her chair while looking up at the ceiling.

“It wasn’t _rigged_ , April, it was a Secret Ann-ta’s Day miracle,” said Leslie. “Anyway, don’t worry about it; I’ve brought the traditional Gingerbread Ann cookies and milk, and since there’s no snow outside, we can’t do snow Ann-gels, unfortunately.” She lifted the blinds of one window and stared outside hopefully, but let it fall back into place with another sigh at the continuing lack of snow. “So there’s nothing for you to do but eat cookies, anyway.”

“Yes!” Andy yelled and pumped his fist in the air, then put both hands over his mouth. “Sorry, was that too loud? I didn’t mean to shout; honest, I’m sorry!”

“That’s okay, Andy, but why are you apologizing?” Leslie followed his gaze, her eyes finally resting on a red-clad toy sitting on a shelf above April’s desk. “What the eff?”

“Elf, actually,” Andy said in a much lower voice. “L. F., to be specific. That’s his initials. I figured that out all by myself,” he added with a grin.

“What does L. F. stand for?” Tom asked.

“Uh… um…” Andy rubbed the back of his neck as he stammered and looked to April for assistance.

“It stands for Little Fu-” she started, stopping when she saw Leslie’s eyes bulge out. “Little Fun. Yeah, Little Fun, because he’s a work elf and he’s here to make sure we all behave and do our jobs, or else Santa won’t bring us anything.”

“And that’s why I have to be good, Leslie,” Andy said. “He’s, like, _always_ watching - here at the office, at home in the living room, heck, even when I’m in the shower.”

“In the shower? Really?” Leslie raised an eyebrow at April.

“It was Andy’s turn to clean the shower and L. F. made sure he did it, or else he was gonna tell Santa,” April said with a smirk.

“And man, let me tell you, you do _not_ want that to happen.” Andy said with a chuckle.

“Riiiiiight…” Ben said, having finished with the presents. “So, just to be clear, you still believe in—”

“In being a good boy or else Santa won’t bring you anything? Of course he does,” April interjected, shaking her head at Ben and Leslie from her position behind Andy. “Why wouldn’t he believe in that?”

“Sure, because all of that is true and to not believe it would just be stupid.” Leslie smiled and gave Ben a side-eyed look, which he returned. “Ok then, well, now that that’s been explained we should probably just move L. F. somewhere else so we can get back to work…”

“NO!” Andy screamed, moving between Leslie and the elf. “You can’t touch him, Leslie! That’s an automatic direct report to Santa and no one will get anything for Christmas!”

“He’s right, you can’t interfere with an elf doing his duty,” April said.

“Heh, doodie.” Andy giggled in a low voice. “No, wait, I take that back. I—babe, how do you un-giggle? That’s what I want to do for the record, L. F.” He bowed to the elf, unsure of what else to do.

“Hoo boy,” Tom said, shaking his head. “Hey Ron, come out, you’ve gotta see this!”

“What’s all this commotion?” Ron stepped out of his office, crossing his arms over his chest. He glanced over at the tree and saw all the new presents underneath. “Is it Secret Ann-ta Day already? My, how the time flies.”

“See? Ron remembers,” Leslie stated.

“Give me the gingerbread.” Ron stretched out his hand, cutting straight to the chase. Leslie nodded to Ben, who opened a metal tin and handed it over to Ron. Ron accepted the tin and turned, walking back inside his office again and closing the door.

“You know, now that I think about it, maybe we can incorporate something like this into Secret Ann-ta Day. Hmm.” Leslie rubbed her chin.

“Oh no, I don’t like it when you get that look in your eye, honey.” Ben placed the other cookie tins down on a nearby desk. “I mean, you already do so much; do you really need to add even more?”

“I’ve got it,” she said, snapping her fingers. “I can make a little Leslie elf doll to place on tree, maybe call it… call it Knope on a Rope?” Realizing what she said, Leslie shook her head. “Nope, no, that sounds horrible. I heard it as soon as I said it out loud.”

“And creepy,” Tom added.

“Yeah, I’m going to have to agree with Tom on this one, which I almost never do,” Ben said.

“It sounds perfect. I’ll start making them right away,” said April, taking a piece of paper and starting to sketch out a prototype.

“Maybe you shouldn’t, babe,” Andy said, nodding ever so slightly at the elf on the shelf. “I mean, he’s still watching us.” He paused before continuing, “And by he, I mean, you know, L. F.” Then he whistled and put his hands in his pockets, walking away from April’s desk in his best attempt at being nonchalant, which was to say not at all.

“We can just table that for now and brainstorm about it in the off season, sweetie, how does that sound?” Ben suggested. He looked at his watch and then held it up for Leslie to see. “Besides, Ann’s going to be here any minute, so we should finish setting up, yeah?”

“You’re right, Ben.” Leslie grinned and hugged him. “You’ve got a mind like a steel trap, which matches the hardness of your buns.” She followed that up with a pat of said buns, which made Tom gag audibly.

“Leslie! Not in front of the elf!” Andy whisper-shouted at her.

“Sorry Andy, and sorry L. F.,” Leslie said, rolling her eyes ever so slightly before clapping her hands together. “Okay, let’s get things ready, people! This Secret Ann-ta’s Day ain’t gonna organize itself!”


End file.
